Raisin stemming device including reciprocating ladderlike grids



g- 10, 1948- T. w. w. FORREST 2,446,546

RAISIN STEMMING DEVICE INCLUQING RECIPROCATING LADDER-LIKE GRIDS Filed Aug. 13, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. 7710/04: w.w. Foemssr floy mmrw H TTORIVEYS.

0, 1948- T. w. w. FORREST 2,446,645

RAISIN STEMMING DEVICE INCLUDING I RECIPROCATING LADDER-LIKE GRIDS Filed Aug. 15, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. mom/as W.W. FORREST R77'ORNEYS Patented Aug. 10, 1948 OFFICE RAISIN STEMMING DEVICE INCLUDING RE- CIPROCATING LADDER LIKE GRIDS Thomas W. W. Forrest, Fresno, Califl, assignor to D. R. Hoak, Fresno, Calif,

Application August 13, 1945; Serial No. 610,447

This invention relates to the stemming and cleaning of raisins prior to decapping them.

'One of the objects of the invention isthe provision of an improved method of cleaning raisins including the stemming operation whereby the stems' dirt and other foreign material will not become embedded in the raisins but will be separated therefrom, leaving the raisins relatively clean andunbroken. v

Another object of the invention is improvements in a stemmer that will be more reliable than heretofore and that will more effectively remove the stems from the raisins and prepare them for a cleaner subsequent separation.

Other objects and advantages will appear in thedescription and in the drawings.

In the drawings v Fig. 1 is asemi-diagrammatic view illustrative of means that may be employed in practicing the method. d

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the stemmer.

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross sectional view of part of the stemmer as seen from line 33 of Fig. the fragment being of reduced scale from that of Fig. 4 and of larger scale than of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along 6 line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged left end view of the body of the stemmer of Fig. 1 with the cranks indicated at the same level instead of being ofiset as seen in Fig. 1.

In detail the method of stemming and cleaning raisins may be best understood by reference to Fig. 1 wherein a hopper l is for receiving the unstemmed raisins that may have dirt, nails, pebbles, leaves and other foreignmaterial mixed therewith.

Hopper l feeds the raisins and other material to the stemmer 2 through which the raisins and material fall by gravity, the said raisins being pulled from the stems and the stems being broken and foreign material being knocked loose from the raisins in falling through the stemmer.

All of the material falling through the stemmer including the raisins and the foreign material that is lighter and heavier than the raisins falls onto a conveyor belt 3 and is carried from beneath the stemmer to below a suction hood 4 that communicates by way of a restricted neck 5 with an enlarged vacuum chamber 6. Suction blower l is at the upper end of chamber 6 for exhausting the latter and for creating the desired suction in the hood 4, while a rotary valve 8 at the lower end of chamber 6 functions, upon rotation, to discharge 1 Claim; (Q1. 14655) raisins falling to said valve while preventing a break in the reduced pressure in the chamber 6. The suction in hood 4 is such asto draw the raisins and all material of lighter weight, such'as stems, leaves, dust, caps, etc., through the neck 5 into chamber 1 wherein the influence of, the suction created by blower I is such as to draw the material that is lighter than the raisins through the blower for discharge through the discharge outlet 9 while the raisins will fall to the valve or gate 8 for discharge and for subsequent delivery to the decapper.

The material that is'heavier than the raisins, such as rocks, nails, etc., will be discharged over the end of conveyor 3 into any suitable receptacle or chute I0.

The foregoing method is made possible by the fact that the stems are broken up to acertain extent and also any foreign material that may be adhered to the raisins is knocked loose. Furthermore there being no pressure on the raisins by the stemmer, as normally occurs in the conventional roller type of stemmer, there is no chance of pressing dirt, stems, etc. into the raisins or in rupturing the latter. j f

The stemmer 2 comprises a frame having supporting legs I 5 and pairsof horizontally extending side frame members'lB at each side of the stemmer.

Between the pairs of side frame members l6 that are at each side of the stemmer are a plurality of horizontally disposed superposed, spaced, horizontally extending ladder-like members generally designated ll. Each of these members comprises spaced parallel channel strips [8 having their open sides facing downwardly, said strips forming the side rails of the ladder-like members. Cross bars l9 extend between the side rails of each member I! at right angles to said rails each of said bars having reduced end portions extending through channels I8. In each member I! the cross bars are equally spaced apart but the spacing between the cross bars of the upper two members is greater than the spacing between the rails of the remaining members. Preferably the spacing between the cross bars of the upper two members I! is uniform and the spacing between the cross bars in the remaining members is uniform as best seen in Fig. 3.

As seen in Fig. 3 there are six members I I which is satisfactory although there may be any number, preferably four or more.

The spacing between the superposed side rails 18 adjacent each side of the stemmer is relativeof the bars at each end of the crank throws will quickly pull the raisins from the stems. Also the by hearing members 2|, while thesecond, fourth and sixth are connected by bearing member fl (Figs. 2, 4). These bearing members are secured .15 in any desired manner as by welding, bolting,l.etc., f

to the side rails l8 so as to project outwardly thereof relative to the space between the rails.

stems will be broken up and the raisins will be sharply struck to free foreign material from them. Of course any lumps of dirt will also be broken up.

All of the material including the raisins will be then dropped onto the upper arm of conveyor belt 3. fortransfer, to below suctionhood 4 asalready described. y

In so far as the stemmer itself is concerned the most important features thereof are the reciprocation of adjacent members I! as distinguished from oscillation and the provision of deflector strips to prevent any material from becoming lodged between. the side rails. The inverted channel shape of these side rails contributes toward keeping them clear of material that might tend '"to obstruct the freedom of their reciprocating There may be a plurality of such bearingmembers H, 22 along each of the outer sides of memhers il. The bearing members 22 along each of saidouter sides .are coaxially journailed for slidably supporting them on rods 26 that are below and parallel with rods '25 while bearing members 21' are coaxially journalled for slidably supportin: them on rods '25. Rods 25, 26 may extend at one of their ends through the end legs 15 of the stemmer frame'for securement to said end legs bynuts'Z'l (Fig. .2), the ends of the rods being of reduced diameter where they extend through said legs and their opposite ends may extend through vertical angle strips 28 that are in turn secured between side frame members It at each side of the stemmer. "Nuts .29 may secure said latter endsto strips 28.

The bearing members 2|, 22 thus supportthe ladderelike members H for reciprocation ,as-weil asspacing them apart.

The alternatepairs of ladder-like members H a e also connected at their ends that are adjacent the strips. (Fig. 2) by vertically extendingelements 3i),; 3l (Fig. 5) which elements carry horizontal links 32,33 (Fig. '2') that are in turn ires'pectivelx pivotally connected at 34, 35 to connecting rods 38, 3'! that extend to cranks'38,'39'formed on a shaft 40.

Shaft journaled at its ends in bearings 42 that are secured to the .end legs 15 at one end of the stemmer frame. A combination'pulley and flywheel may be secured to shaft 40 which pulleyis connected by a belt 44 to any desired source of power such as motor'45.

Upon rotation "of the shaft 40 the revolution of cranks-38p39 will cause the'adjacent members-H to reciprocate oppositely. The unstemmed raisins dropped between the rails 1-8 will be engaged by the .cioss bars I?! ,andithe very quick return stroke movement.

I claim:

In a stemmer for raisins of the typg hayi g a pl y f pairs of ho i ally d sposed and h n a ly e e ng vertica ly s aced uperposed ladder-like members each having a pair or spaced parallel side rails and spaced parallel cross bars extending between said rails at rightangles to the latter, means for supporting said members forreciprocation longitudinally thereof, means for simultaneously reciprocating adjacent pairs of said members in opposite directions, and means positioned between the rails of said members extending downwardly across the .spaces'between the adjacent rails of said members and inwardly toward each other for closing said spaces '9 i gress of stems and raisins adapted to'fall through the spaces between said cross bars and for deflecting such stems and raisins inwardiyaway from said side walls, said side rails being channel strips with their open sides facing downwardly, and said last mentioned means being strips espectively secured to the uppermost side rail of each pair of superposed rails.

"THOMAS W. W.

REF ER'ENCES CITED The foll wing ie en are of recm'di th fileof this patent:

STATES Number Name -Date 1,411,528 Stanley A-pr. 4,- 192g 1,92ei,111 Erickson Aug. 29; 1933 1054.949 Robinson et al Sept. 22, 1936 2,106,=742 Hinkle Feb. 1, i938 2,152,143 Martin Mar. 28, 1939 2,251,542 Hines et'al. A1155, 1941 2,297,700 Hinkle Oct, 6,"19,4 2 

